(Zaman Al Wasl)- Rebels shot down a Syrian fighter jet, mig-23bn, in northern Hama province last Thursday amid blackout by regime media, sources said.
The pilot Abdul Karim Alia was escaped by regime forces in the eastern countryside of Hama before being held captive by rebels.
According to sources, it's the second time rebels shot down Alia’s warplanes. The first time was in Deir Ezzor province.
At least 180 regime troops and militiamen were killed in five weeks as the regime backed by Russia air force is pushing to take major rebel stronghold in Idlib and Hama provinces, according to activists.
More than 119,000 pro-regime forces have been killed, including 62,000 troops, tens of thousands of loyalist militiamen, and 1,556 fighters from Hezbollah, according to a new estimate by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Alawites-dominated areas still the main manpower supply for Bashar al-Assad's regime. The mourning posters and statements have been sweeping the streets and pro-regime social media.
Idlib province is the biggest chunk of Syria still held by rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, with a population swollen by Syrians who have fled government advances in other parts of the country. Assad has defeated rebels in many parts of western Syria with critical help from Russia and Iran.
More than 470,000 people have been killed and 12 millions have been driven from their homes since Syria's revolutions erupted in 2011.
Zaman A Wasl
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